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For "La Gioconda" quite honestly defies description, especially in limited space. This is the production designed by Beni Montresor which was to have been part of the [first] week's festivities before the musician's strike. Apart from too gaudy costumes for the title role, which had Renata Tebaldi wearing green shoes and tasteless prints, there was absolutely nothing to detract from the splendor. On a stage seemingly of limitless depth, the courtyard stretched back to domes and a glorious sunburst altar, made visible by vanishing gauzy walls.

The ship could have been the real thing, and its silken sails caught moon glow and firelight equally well. The ballroom is all draperies and columns, candles and stairs and the "Dance of the Hours" has the most dazzling array of glittering costumes I have even seen on dancers.

Musically, the news aside from Mr. Tucker's ringing Grimaldo was Cornell MacNeil's Barnaba, which was the best job of dramatic singing I have seen from him. Miss Tebaldi has found herself a sympathetic role for her new voice. But I cannot honestly say I admired the sounds she made much of the time. The attractive but also vocally weak Laura was Mignon Dunn, Fausto Cleva conducted. Miss Wallmann's staging was strong-lined and pointed, a vast improvement over her Lyric "Carmen" a few years ago.

Search by season: 1966-67

Search by title: La Gioconda,

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